Sticks & Stones
by Skittles1
Summary: From the Yuu Watase manga "Alice 19th". Seno Alice's POV on the power and meaning of words.


Author's Note: I don't own Alice 19th. This was written from Seno Alice's view on the power and meaning of words.

Sticks & Stones

By: Lauren

"Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me."

How many times have you heard that little rhyme before? I know I've heard it thousands of times. In fact, I used to believe it. My parents would tell me it when my sister might tease me. So I'd repeat it in my head and pretend the words didn't hurt.

I wonder who made that little saying up any ways?

Because whoever did was full of crap. 

That's the biggest, most pathetic lie I've ever heard. Sometimes, truth be told, words hurt worse than an actual blow to the face or any other body area. Sometimes, I'd rather be slapped than hear what people say to me.

Words can be used as such a dangerous weapon…so very dangerous. 

It can hurt, it can break a heart, and it can even kill. 

After words are spoken, they don't necessarily leave or disappear into the air. They can't be taken back and they stay with you always, locked away in your little memory bank. They repeat over and over in their head. They're remembered- engraved in your heart. Never to be forgotten. The words…if they are good words, they can help a person. They can make someone happy, even if it's temporary. If they are bad words, it can hurt a person and bring them to such desperation as to do something terrible.

Something harmful to either themselves or those who hurt them.

I, Seno Alice, learned the destruction and impact of words first hand. It was enough to send my sister into the realm of darkness, to screw up my entire life and send it into a twisted turn of fate.

What my sister would say to me…and what I would say to her, they would hurt. And there is often nothing more painful than to be told the truth. To have your eyes forced open to something you don't want to see. Back when she would taunt me…when she'd unknowingly hurt me with her words… she'd tell me the truth countless times. She would do it knowing that it would hurt more than lies, because there is no denying the truth. 

So I did the same thing back to her. I stooped down to her low level and yelled the truth right back at her.

_"I WISH YOU WOULD DISAPPEAR!!"_

That's what I said to her and do you know what happened?

She disappeared. 

Just like that. Woosh. Gone. Good-bye.

It was all my fault. She was lured into the darkness. The shadow of her heart and I was powerless to save her, and clueless at the time. Even now, I'm still somewhat clueless of what to do or what is going on.

I learned the hard way that words are powerful, too powerful sometimes.

Words can cost people their lives for saying things that they don't want to hear or for saying the truth.

Words stay with you, while a bruise will just disappear.

People fling words around all too easily and without thinking about them beforehand nor their consequences. They just blurt them out, mutter them or scream them at another. They say cruel things, mean things and things that just shouldn't be said with intent to upset another person and that is just wrong. That is where words are wrongly used. People twist words; they turn them around and use them against you. They manipulate situations and lives with words. That is where they cross the line. Sometimes things _need_ to be said, no matter what, but…people just corrupt words now.

People say words without really meaning them too. They casually say 'I love you' to another, getting their hopes up, when they might not really mean them from the bottom of their heart. People say things to spite others, which causes trouble when they don't truly mean what they say. Words have become more than just letters on paper or sound in the air. 

Words are power.

Words are life.

In the end, all you truly ever have is your word.

People use them wrongly now and must face the result, as sad as that may be. Whether the result is the end of a relationship, the end of a life or a violent outburst. If people would just be careful of what they said or if they said kind things, life would be so much easier.

And sometimes, even if it does hurt, the truth should be spoken. It is better the truth; words with meaning, than a bunch of lies; words without meaning. Just make sure you know what you're talking about when you speak or you know what you're writing about when you write. 

Because, words without cause are but letters.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

It's a commonly used, silly, childish rhyme. It is only letters and it's not the truth. It has no cause but to reassure people that what others say doesn't matter.

But, it is human nature to care about what is said, even if you pretend not to care. I used words foolishly, casually saying them to others and I am paying for my deed. I'll right my wrong somehow, someday and I know…I just know…I'll get my sister back eventually. I _have _to.

But it was all because of the power of my words.

Don't let your words be but letters and be wary of what you say- you never know who is listening, whom it might hurt and what the consequences might be. Don't say words you'll regret later. And lastly, don't let words rule your life, even if they hurt worse than sticks and stones.


End file.
